


Befana Blasts

by RockSunner



Series: Smart Adversaries AU [21]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amputation, Bee!Juleka - Freeform, Bittersweet Ending, Chat Noir Reveal, Episode: s02 La Béfana | Befana, F/M, Fox!Nathaniel - Freeform, Identity Reveal, Ladybug Reveal, Revenge, Self-defeating action, Suicide Attempt, Tragedy, Transformation, Villain apparent victory, turtle!nino
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-20 06:52:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14889714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockSunner/pseuds/RockSunner
Summary: What if Befana tried harder at Marinette's birthday party?





	1. Get Her While She's Down

Gina Dupain arrived at the bakery on her motorcycle. She felt sad that Marinette had abandoned her. Her life as a world traveler had been so active that she seldom felt old, but today she did. She sadly started up the stairs.

"Uh, where's Marinette?" asked her daughter-in-law, Sabine.

"Tom was right. She's too old now to spend time with her Nona..." said Gina.

"What? No, no! Tom never said that," said Sabine.

"That's sweet of you, Sabine. But it's not a big deal. That's life. I'll be up in the apartment if you need me," said Gina.

Gina sat on the chaise lounge in Marinette's bedroom. On top of a pile of shirts she saw the tiny shirt a friend had knitted for Marinette – Gina had told her the wrong size.

Gina opened the tin of "Dolci della Befana" candies to get one, and touched something sticky. She found several that were spit out by Marinette after pretending to eat them. Another lie on top of that silly dentist story. It was too much. It was clear that Marinette despised her.

A purple and black butterfly entered the candy tin, and a voice spoke in her mind.

"Befana, I am Hawk Moth. I'm restoring your matriarchal power as grandmother. You will use these candies to reward the deserving and punish the ungrateful. As for my reward, you will bring me the Miraculous of those pesky little kids, Ladybug and Cat Noir!"

"You're right, Hawk Moth. The time has come to teach them all a lesson," said Befana.

* * *

Befana flew on her magically-transformed motorcycle. Sabine, now an angel-like fairy under her control, led the way to the park where Marinette was partying with her friends. Tom had been left behind in the bakery, transformed to coal for being a naughty son.

Befana sang a silly jingle she had composed about La Befana, who "gives out candy to those who are dandy." (The original La Befana was a Santa-Claus-like witch in Italian folklore). The tune was _La Donna è Mobile_ from the opera _Rigoletto_. Befana thought it was appropriate because the opera song described women as being fickle and deceitful... just like Marinette.

Befana jumped from her motorcycle and landed in front of Marinette.

"You lied to your grandma, Marinetta," said Befana.

"No, I- I didn't know Alya was throwing a surprise party for me," said Marinette.

Alya moved in front of Marinette and said, "She's for real, ma'am."

"And all those candies you pretended to be eating?"

"I'm sorry, grandma. It's just that I didn't want to upset you."

"I'm not your grandma anymore. From now on, I am only Befana! And I'm going to punish you for all those lies!"

Befana fired her coal-candy gun at Marinette, but she ducked. A girl behind her was hit and turned to coal.

"No!" cried Marinette.

Marinette tried to run, but Sabine the winged fairy blocked her way.

"It's rude to leave while Befana's still speaking to you."

Befana aimed at Marinette again, but a long sick hit her gun and knocked off her aim. She turned and saw Chat Noir, one of the "pesky kids" she was supposed to defeat. He had jumped up on one of the DJ's speakers.

"Hey, I never knew grandmas could be so nasty," said Chat Noir.

"You would look wonderful in white, my pretty kitty," said Befana.

She took a shot at Chat Noir, who just got barely got his head out of the way in time.

"Eh, not convinced. I'm much more into black – makes my eyes stand out, don't you think?" said Chat.

Befana took several more white-candy shots at him, but he vaulted up the building, dodging as he went.

"Take care of this pesky pussy cat!" said Befana, directing Sabine after Chat.

Sabine flew at Chat Noir, making him leap up out of her way.

"Hey, I thought fairies were supposed to be nice!" said Chat Noir.

Sabine knocked Chat Noir into the trees, leaving Marinette unprotected.

"You're not getting away unpunished, Marinetta!" said Befana.

Marinette ran as Befana shot at her. Befana wanted Marinette to suffer before being turned to coal, so her shots were deliberately off-target.

Marinette tripped, dropping a birthday present she had been holding. She was now an easy target, and Befana had a decision to make. Should she shoot the present, and make a speech about Marinette being an ungrateful brat who didn't deserve presents, or should she just shoot Marinette?

Befana realized her ammunition was running low, so she chose the second option, instantly turning Marinette to coal.

Watching from hiding, Alya said to the group of friends, "Nooo! We should have helped Marinette!"

"We can keep her from getting away and hurting anyone else," said Rose. "Until Ladybug gets here and puts everything back to normal."

Alya nodded. She jumped up to the table and began throwing plates at Befana.

"Marinette was not a liar!" shouted Alya.

"Someone has to teach you table manners!" said Befana, shooting Alya and turning her to coal.

"Alyaaa!" shouted Rose.

Kim tried to jump Befana and get her gun, but she was too fast on the trigger for him. He was also turned to coal.

Befana said, "That's what you get for stealing candy, you bunch of ill-mannered kids!"

"You shouldn't have done that to Marinette! She was only the nicest person in the world!" said Rose.

"That's very disrespectful, to speak up without permission! But then again, it's quite noble of you to stick up for your friends. Okay. I shall make you a fairy."

She shot Rose with a white candy, and Rose transformed into another flying minion like Sabine.

"You are going to help me discipline your friends," said Befana with an evil laugh.

* * *

Tikki felt herself become intangible the instant the transformation struck the Miraculous. An active Miraculous with a kwami inside it was indestructible and highly resistant to transformation. But an inactive Miraculous was not indestructible. The earrings had turned to coal, and they were useless.

That meant that Tikki was not anchored to the physical world, just as she had been before the Miraculous jewels were enchanted. She could not touch anything, or be seen by anyone other than a fellow kwami.

Marinette was gone, and without a Miraculous there was no way to reverse it.

The Great Guardian needed to know. Tikki flew away to find Wayzz at Master Fu's shop.


	2. Kwagatama

The new fairy, Rose, hovered low to the ground behind the buffet table. The fairy Sabine joined her, having lost track of Chat Noir.

Befana aimed her gun to turn Alix into coal. There was an empty click.

"Just a moment while I reload. You'll get what's coming to you!"

Befana took her candy box from her belt, opened the top, and started to pour more candy into her gun. But before any could get in, Chat's expanding staff knocked it from her hand.

"Kitty wants a treat!" said Chat Noir.

Chat pounced on the tin and telescoped his staff up to roof. He began leaping away.

Befana called on her two angels. "The kitty is getting away with the Dolci! Catch him!"

The angels tried to fly after him, but their feet were tied with banner ropes. (While Befana was distracted, Nathaniel had quickly pulled out a spare line from under the buffet table. He tied the line to one of Sabine's feet. Max did the same to Rose on the other side. The fairies were passive without direct orders – they allowed this to happen).

Alix, Juleka, and Nathaniel pulled on the rope holding Sabine. Max and Ivan pulled on the rope holding Rose. For the moment their strength prevailed.

"Chat Noir is cool, so don't touch him," said Juleka.

"Just because I cannot turn you to coal, it does not mean you little brats are strong enough to stop me!" said Befana.

With the great strength and fighting skill that all akuma victims possess, she flung them off the line one by one until her winged minions were free.

She leaped onto her flying motorcycle and flew with her angels.

* * *

As Befana flew over the city, she sang her song again, adding a line about giving coal to brats. She saw many opportunities to punish or reward people, but her gun was empty until she found her candy tin again.

A staff extended across her path, sending her flying off her motorcycle. Her two angels swooped down and caught her, one on each arm.

"Chat Noir comes too, unexpectedly," sang Chat to her tune. "Uh.. how to we make that rhyme?... Never mind."

Befana saw that Chat's hands were empty. "You little thief! Where have you hidden my Dolci?"

Chat shrugged and said, "I forget. I'm dull, see?"

"Take care of this villain," said Befana to her two fairies.

Then she thought aloud, "What does the villainous cat burglar do when he feels threatened? He climbs!"

She headed her motorcycle toward the Eiffel Tower. Chat gasped while fighting the two minions. Befana was too clever. That was where he had hidden the candy box!

* * *

The survivors of the party were in a huddle together at the park.

"So few of us are left," said Alix. "Juleka, Nathaniel, Max, and Ivan – good job holding back the flying monsters with me, even though Befana tossed us around."

Nino emerged from behind the DJ stand. "Sorry I didn't help, dudes. I was too scared. I guess Adrien was too, and he ran off home..."

Nathaniel said, "I thought he liked Marinette. He let her get turned to coal along with Kim, Mylène, and Alya."

"What could he have done? What could any of us have done to stop it?" said Juleka.

"I hope Ladybug gets here soon," said Ivan. "She'll fix everything. She's gotta turn Mylène back."

"I calculate an 80 percent probability that Ladybug will never come," said Max. "Because it is highly likely that Marinette was Ladybug."

"What? No!" said Juleka. "She can't be! Rose will be a flying zombie forever?"

"If that's true, then they're all dead," said Nino. "Alya's parents and Mylène's father will have to be told. They stayed for a bit to see the birthday girl arrive, but then left their daughters to have fun, saying they would pick them up later. Some fun, huh dudes?"

Alix said, "Lucky that little Manon was taken home early by her mom after she misbehaved. She would have been coal for sure."

* * *

A old man wearing a Hawaiian shirt, carrying a wooden box under one arm, went straight up to Marinette's statue. He grabbed the purse, which crumbled off the rest of the statue.

"Hey! What are you doing?" said Ivan. "You can't steal anything from that purse. It's all coal, like the rest of her."

"Don't be too sure," said the man with a Mandarin Chinese accent. "There may still be hope, if one thing in here is not coal."

"What do you mean? Who are you?" asked Nathaniel.

The man searched through the coal in his hands, carefully crumbling it. He produced a small red bead, shaped like one half of a yin/yang symbol.

"My name is Master Fu," said the man. "And this is a kwagatama."

"A what-gatama?" asked Nino.

"It is full of Ladybug magic," said Master Fu. "With your help, we may yet save your friends, and Paris."


	3. Team

"I need some people to help Chat Noir take down Befana and Hawk Moth," said Master Fu.

"Why are you asking us?" asked Ivan.

"This is the worst crisis since the Miraculous were created. The Ladybug Miraculous has been destroyed. That means the spirit of creation and good luck has no anchor on this planet, but the spirit of destruction and bad luck still does. Without a balance, there will be more bad luck than good, and destructiveness will prevail over creativity. We can expect recession, chaos, and war."

"But why us?" asked Max.

"As friends of Ladybug and Chat Noir, you are the best candidates at this time. The personal connection will aid your success."

"I want to help Marinette," said Nathaniel. "Chat Noir too, whoever he is."

"I can give you temporary super-powers," said Master Fu. "But you must promise to give them back when the crisis is over."

"I will," said Nathaniel. "What sort of powers?"

"I know you have all been akumatized. Tell me what you were like as a villain, and what lead you to be akumatized. I will use that to decide the most suitable powers for you," said Master Fu.

Max said, "I'll help if I can. I turned people into energy to level up as the world's greatest Gamer. I was mad when Marinette beat me for a place in a video game tournament."

"Your best fit would be Tiger," said Master Fu. "There is a competitive ferocity in you."

"I turned people into energy too, as Timebreaker," said Alix. "I wanted to go back in time and fix a broken family heirloom."

"I think Horse would be right for you," said Master Fu. "She has your high energy and dedication."

"I was the Evillustrator," said Nathaniel. "I could make anything I drew come to life. I was motivated by a crush on... someone, and by anger when I was teased about it."

"Creativity, imagination, and passion," said Master Fu. "I believe the Fox is the power you should have."

Nino said, "I want to help too, dude, since it's the only way to get Alya back. So... I was the Bubbler. I captured adults in bubbles to free the kids. I wanted to give my best bud an birthday party when his dad wouldn't let him."

"You are kind and protective of others – you wish to shield them from harm," said Master Fu. "You should hold the Turtle."

"I've got someone I wanna get back, too," said Juleka. "She's not coal, but that would almost be better than being a flying goon. I was Reflecta – I made everyone look like me. I was angry at being left out of a group photo."

"You want to belong, and your power to make others like yourself was a twisted form of generosity," said Master Fu. "You should have the Bee, the most supportive of the powers."

"If you're gonna give us all super powers, I want to be real strong," said Ivan. "Like I was as Stoneheart. When I fought for Mylène."

"I can see the strong Ox in you," said Master Fu. "However, I will only activate a core of three for now: Fox, Turtle, and Bee. The others I will reserve in case of emergency."

"Aw!" said Alix. "I wanted to be a Horse!"

"Alix, Max, and Ivan, you will not be left out. I have an important mission for you once I finish empowering these three," said Master Fu.

He took Nathaniel, Juleka, and Nino aside.

"We must hurry because Chat Noir will be hard-pressed fighting alone against Befana and her minions. She must not be allowed to recover her candy tin," said Master Fu. "It is her akumatized object. With Ladybug here we could simply break it and let her cleanse the akuma."

"How can we get Marinette back?" asked Nathaniel.

"It will be difficult, but there is a chance. First we must capture the akuma. The best would be for us to get Hawk Moth angry enough at Befana so that he removes her power. You can follow the akuma back to his lair after he calls it back from her. But we must also destroy the candy tin just as the akuma leaves it, because that is the prerequisite for the world-healing Miraculous Ladybug charm."

"Complicated..." said Nino.

"I know, right?" said Juleka.

Master Fu handed a fox-tail necklace to Nathaniel. "This is the Fox Miraculous."

A small orange being emerged from the necklace and said, "And more importantly, I am Trixx, the Fox kwami. I empower superheroes."

"Hello, Trixx. I'm Nathaniel," said the boy a bit nervously.

"Your main skill is in combat, leaping and striking to help Chat Noir," said Trixx. "I also grant the power to cast an illusion when you play my magic flute. It will only last a short time and it requires you to detransform within five minutes."

"With the help of the Bee you can do better," said Master Fu.

"I prefer sweet grapes to that silly Bee's Honey, but it will recharge me instantly and let you stay transformed," said Trixx. "You can keep the illusion going or cast a new one."

"Okay," said Nathaniel. "I'm ready."

"Nathaniel, your transformation phrase is 'Trixx, let's pounce'," said the kwami. "To detransform, say 'Trixx, let's lurk',"

"Trixx, let's pounce," said Nathaniel.

Power glowed around him and he almost seemed to dance as he turned into a red-orange fox-suited hero with a flute strapped to his back.

"My code name will be Renard Rouge."

Master Fu handed a golden comb to Juleka. A golden bee-like kwami appeared.

"You must bee my new human. I am Pollen. "

Juleka introduced herself and put the comb in her hair.

"My main power for you is nourishment for the hive mates – that is, for your fellow heroes. As Trixx said, I can grant renewed energy when you touch one of them and say, 'Honey'. I can renew Chat Noir's energy, too."

"So he can cast more than one Cataclysm in a row?" asked Juleka.

"Yes," said Pollen. "You will have a trompo, a top, for transportation and attacking. Its range is smaller than Ladybug's yo-yo, but it can pull you up a wall or along the ground – or you can extend a platform on its axis and ride on it. It can also carry a magic attack for you, the Sting."

"This Sting hurts people?" asked Juleka warily.

"It can hurt your enemies, but it will also weaken hostile magic. It can cut the link bee-tween an akuma victim and Hawk Moth, so they can think clearly again."

"What is my transformation phrase?"

"It is 'Pollen, buzz on' to transform, and 'Buzz off' to detransform."

"Pollen, buzz on!" said Juleka.

Juleka was enveloped in a yellow costume with black stripes. Her hair went from dark with a purple streak to black with a blonde streak, and it was pulled back in a ponytail. The trompo and its strings hung in a bag at her waist.

"I'll go by Honeybee," she said.

"Finally, there is the Turtle kwami, Wayzz," said Master Fu, removing a turtle bracelet from his right arm and handing it to Nino.

The small green kwami said, "No need to introduce yourself, Nino. I have been active and know all about you."

"Whoa, dude. You're Master Fu's own kwami?"

"For now, I am yours," said Wayzz. "Your main power is invulnerability. Your suit will protect you more than the costumes of the others. Even the candy bullets of Befana would bounce off without doing you any harm. You can also project a force bubble that can hold even an akuma inside – they can phase through anything else. You will need to bring the akuma back here for Ladybug to cleanse, provided we restore her to life, so it will not reproduce."

"Do I time out when I use the bubble power?" asked Nino.

"Yes, but more slowly," said Wayzz. "Five hours instead of five minutes. Pollen can extend it with Honey, but that is seldom needed. Slowness is good thing there. On the other hand you have no fast transport. Someone will have to carry you into battle."

"Embarrassing, dude," said Nino.

"Not really. It's just teamwork. You will need careful teamwork to avoid bad luck, especially when close to Chat Noir. The good-luck kwami is unanchored now, so be extra careful."

"Like, what do I say to transform?" asked Nino.

"'Wayzz, transform me,' and 'Wayzz, detransform me'."

"Hey, kind of dull compared to the others."

"That used to be the phrase for everyone. The other kwamis wished to be original, but I prefer the old-fashioned style."

"Wayzz, transform me!"

Nino got a green shell-like costume with goggles and a hooded green cape.

"I'm Carapace, dudes!"

* * *

Holding Carapace with one arm and Honeybee with the other, Renard Rouge bounded toward the Eiffel Tower.

"Now for you three," said Master Fu to Max, Alix, and Ivan.

"What do you need us for?" asked Ivan.

"If there is any chance of using the kwagatama as an emergency substitute for a Lucky Charm object, we will need a special formula called the Pearl of the Mysteries, which lets a kwami grant unlimited Lucky Charms. The three of you need to help me create the formula so it will be ready when the akuma is captured."

"You know how to make it?" asked Alix.

"Not exactly," said Master Fu. "But with the four of us..."

"My robot Markov and I will help," said Max. "We can work out any formula."

"Even magic?" asked Ivan.

"Sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic," said Max.


	4. Confrontation at the Eiffel Tower

Renard Rouge, Honeybee, and Carapace found Chat Noir bouncing around on the beams of the Eiffel Tower, desperately fighting the two fairies, Rose and Sabine.

"Chat Noir, we're new heroes and we're here to help!" said Renard Rouge.

Renard set down Honeybee and Carapace on the nearest platform of the Tower. He joined Chat Noir in fighting the fairies. Soon they were driven back. They hovered in the air, waiting to get new orders now that they had fresh opponents.

"New heroes? Where is Ladybug?" panted Chat.

"She was Marinette. She got turned to coal," said Honeybee.

"Nooo!" said Chat Noir. "My Lady..."

Chat leaped and landed near Honeybee and Carapace, but stumbled and nearly fell on his face.

"Careful, dude," said Carapace. "Without Ladybug to balance you, you're a walking bad luck charm."

"Where is Befana?" asked Renard. "We need to stop her fast."

"Searching for the candy box I hid," said Chat. "But what's the use of fighting her? Without Ladybug all is lost."

"Don't give up, dude," said Carapace. "Let me hold the candy box. Nothing can get through my cloak."

"Too late! I have found it," said Befana, flying up on her motorcycle.

Befana reloaded her weapon with more of the black and white candies.

Carapace moved in front of Renard Rouge, Honeybee, and Chat Noir. He spread his cloak in an attempt to shield them. He knew it wouldn't work if she started moving around very fast, but it was worth a try.

Renard Rouge played his flute and said, "Just a moment, Befana. Hawk Moth needs to see something. Is he watching?"

A line of light formed around Befana's face.

"Yes, but he is telling me you only show illusions, you brat," said the akuma victim. "Illusions are lies – Befana does not like them. In a moment you shall be coal."

"Mirage!" said Renard Rouge, casting a ball of light from the end of his flute.

"Honey!" said Honeybee, touching Renard's back to recharge him.

Renard Rouge played his flute again and cast a second Mirage next to the first. Honeybee again recharged him.

Life-sized, three-dimensional images of Marinette and Ladybug formed side by side. Renard put them both in the pose of Marinette's coal statue. He rotated both so that their left earrings faced Befana, and gave both earrings the appearance of coal. Their identical colors made the identical shapes obvious.

"You see what you've done, Hawk Moth? They say that you want Ladybug's earrings for some reason. Well, go get them. The question is... what use is a coal Miraculous?"

Befana looked angry. "Such language, Hawk Moth! I demand you apologize for speaking that way."

The vessel she was holding began to shrink. It was turning into a normal tin of candy again.

"Chat Noir, you have to break the object as the akuma comes out, or we don't have a chance!" said Honeybee.

Chat Noir shot out his staff at the tin, trying to break it. Bad luck made him miss – he knocked the akumatized object away without breaking it. It began falling with the akuma butterfly emerging.

Honeybee shot out her trompo and managed to crack the tin, just as Befana fired her last shot at Renard Rouge. Carapace got his cloak in the way. The bullet bounced off harmlessly, hitting the railing and turning a chunk of it to coal.

Purple energy spilled off Befana, and she turned into a gray-haired woman – a falling woman, dropping with her motorcycle. Renard dived after her, caught her in the air, and used his powerful leaping legs to break her fall. The motorcycle smashed to pieces on the ground.

"What happened to me?" asked Gina after they landed safely. "I remember nothing after sitting in the bedroom of my granddaughter, Marinetta."

"Don't worry, Madame," said Renard Rouge. "You were akumatized. It happens a lot to people in Paris. That's why there are superheroes to help."

* * *

Back up on the tower, the three remaining heroes were trying to deal with the aftermath.

"Where is the butterfly?" asked Carapace. "Is it, like, heading home to Hawk Moth?"

"Either I cracked it too soon, or he was too smart to call it back," said Honeybee. "It's heading up to the top of the Eiffel Tower."

"That's where the akuma reproduced last time," said Chat Noir. "I remember a video on TV of butterflies streaming out and turning people to copies of Stoneheart."

"No chance of tracking Hawk Moth this time, then," said Carapace. "I've got to contain it before it makes copies of Befana. Will you carry me after it, dude?"

"Not worried I might be bad luck?" asked Chat Noir.

"My suit will bounce it, I hope," said Carapace. "We have to try."

Chat held onto Carapace as they bounded up the Tower and caught up with the butterfly without any unlucky incidents. Carapace used his "Shell" power to encase it in a bubble of energy.

"I'm going down to Renard Rouge," said Honeybee. "No offense, Chat Noir, but I don't have magic jinx protection like Carapace. I'm using my own power."

Honeybee extended a small platform on the top of the trompo and jumped on. It continued to spin, but the platform did not, giving her steady footing. She rode down the curving slope of the Eiffel Tower, maintaining her balance with its gyroscopic momentum.

* * *

Chat Noir carried Carapace down, and they all met at the foot of the Tower.

Gina Dupain said, "My motorcycle is ruined. I am trying to reach my son and daughter-in-law on my cell phone, or even my granddaughter, but there is no answer."

Chat Noir told her, "That may be a bit of a problem..."

"There are two fairies hovering up there. One looks like my daughter-in-law," said Gina.

As she pointed, the two fairies saw her and swooped down closer.

"I'll try to help them," said Honeybee.

Honeybee hesitated. She wanted to help Rose first, but she knew she couldn't do both without recharging and that Gina urgently needed family to talk to.

Honeybee spun up the trompo, and sent it into Sabine. She invoked "Sting! Free her mind."

A lightning-like magical charge enveloped the transformed woman. Sabine flinched. Her mask-like face took on a worried expression. "Gina, are you all right now?"

Sabine flew to Gina and hovered before her.

"Sabine, is that you? What happened to you?' asked Gina.

"You were akumatized by Hawk Moth. You turned Tom to a coal statue, and me to a fairy. I helped you catch Marinette, and you turned her to coal."

"No! This cannot be! I would not destroy my whole famiglia!"

"Akuma victims do things they would never do normally," said Sabine. "Don't worry. Ladybug always fixes things back as they were. Even people who died have come back."

"That won't happen this time," said Chat Noir. "I'm sorry, but Marinette was Ladybug. She can't fix anything."

"We're going to try to fix things, but there's no guarantee," said Renard Rouge.

"Oh no!" said Sabine. "My husband! My daughter!"

"My son! My granddaughter!" said Gina.

The two wept together.

* * *

Honeybee ran off to detransform, buy something sweet to recharge Pollen, and come back to help Rose regain her right mind.

The other heroes waited for her.

"I really hope Master Fu knows what he's doing," said Carapace. "I can't handle all this tragedy."

"Me too," said Renard Rouge.

"There's hope for Ladybug? I mean Marinette?" asked Chat Noir.

"We'll find out soon," said Renard Rouge.


	5. Partial Recovery

They all got back to the park: Sabine flying with Gina, Rose flying with Honeybee, Chat Noir vaulting along with Carapace, and Renard Rouge leaping by himself.

The coal statues of Marinette, Mylène, Alya, and Kim were grim reminders that everything was far from fixed.

* * *

After several minutes, the other group arrived: Master Fu, Alix, Max, and Ivan. Master Fu had a small bottle with a purple fluid in it.

"We have the formula!" said Alix. "Max had a great idea for the missing ingredient: a tear of joy."

"I simply suggested we look on the internet for weddings being held nearby," said Max.

Fu introduced himself to Chat Noir. "I am the Great Guardian of the Miraculous. My name is Master Fu."

"I remember you," said Chat Noir. "You were the old man I helped stand when you dropped your cane. It cost me my first day at school. Hey, you're not using a cane now. Was that all a trick?"

"It was a test of character before I gave you the Cat Miraculous," said Master Fu.

"You're here to help Ladybug? Thank you. I wish we had known about you before," said Chat Noir.

"I like to stay in the background, but Ladybug knew about me. I have met with her more than once," said Master Fu.

Chat Noir frowned at this. "But not me. You didn't trust me."

"The time was not right. One does not put the noodles into the pot before the water is hot."

"Things are plenty hot right now," said Chat. "What can we do to save Ladybug?"

"I need you to detransform, feed your kwami, and give him this formula to drink before transforming again."

"What will it do?"

"It will temporarily let him create Lucky Charms," said Master Fu. "We will turn Ladybug's kwagatama, along with yours, into an emergency Lucky Charm."

"A what?" asked Chat Noir.

"Didn't Plagg give you one on your birthday?" asked Master Fu. "A magical bead made from the hair of all previous Cat Miraculous holders, bound with a special resin produced by the kwami."

"No, he gave me a piece of stinky Camembert with a ribbon around it. When I didn't want it, he ate it himself."

"He may be saving it for another occasion."

"I'll ask him."

Chat Noir moved out of sight to de-transform and re-transform. When he came back he looked different. There were shimmering purple swirls all over his costume.

"No kwagatama," said Chat. "Plagg said he was too lazy to keep hairs from all his kittens."

"Unfortunate," said Master Fu. "If we could use both together we would be sure of a full restoration. As it is, it may be only partial."

"Marinette will be partially herself and partially coal? She'll die!" said Chat.

"We'll do the best we can," said Master Fu. "Take Ladybug's kwagatama, throw it up into the air, and invoke 'Lucky Charm'."

"Lucky Charm!"

The artifact came down about twice as large and now it was red with black polka-dots.

"With your left hand touching the statue of Marinette, throw the Lucky Charm into the air and invoke it as 'Miraculous Chat Noir'. There should be enough magic to restore Marinette, but only her."

"Miraculous Chat Noir!"

Dark magical ladybugs flowed out, and zoomed all around Marinette. With a gasp she was back to life.

"Yes!" said everyone together. Chat Noir, Gina, and Sabine were overjoyed. However...

"Aah! My right arm... I can' t move it," said Marinette. "Master Fu? Chat Noir? What happened?"

Master Fu said, "It seems the coal bullet of Befana struck your right shoulder. The transformation magic was strongest there – it may not have completely healed."

"I was turned to coal?" asked Marinette.

"You were. More healing is possible, but you must transform," said Master Fu.

"In front of everyone? What about my secret identity?" asked Marinette.

"Everyone here knows," said Master Fu.

"Tikki, spots on!"

With the invocation of the restored Miraculous, Tikki reconnected to the world. She zipped into the left earring as a red blur. Marinette became Ladybug.

"Now you need to capture and purify the akuma," said Master Fu. "Carapace, you can release it for her."

"My arm is still useless," said Ladybug. "It doesn't hurt as much, but... I'm right handed."

With her left hand, Ladybug opened her yo-yo. Carapace used his force bubble to place the akuma into the glowing space inside, and the top of the yo-yo closed over it. When it re-opened, the butterfly was pure white again."

"Bye-bye, little butterfly."

"Now we need a Lucky Charm," said Master Fu.

With an awkward left-handed spin Ladybug sent the yo-yo up. "Lucky Charm!"

She got a polka-dotted rubber ball.

"There's nothing left to defeat. Just throw the ball up and it should heal everything else," said Master Fu.

Ladybug tossed the ball left-handed. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

A bright swarm of ladybugs flowed everywhere. It flowed around the coal statues, restoring Alya, Kim, and Mylène. It returned Rose and Sabine to normal, and back in the bakery Tom was restored to life. All the incidental damage to objects was completely fixed.

Ladybug felt her arm. "I still can't move it."

"I was afraid of that," said Master Fu. "Since you were already healed by one spell, you were skipped over by the second one."

"Then my arm? Will it...?"

"It will have to be healed by normal means, if it can be," said Master Fu.

Marinette's mother rushed up. "I'll call an ambulance. We'll get you treated, sweetie!"

Gina said, "Oh, my precious Marinetta. I'm so sorry."

"It's my fault," said Marinette. "If I was honest with you from the start that I was expecting a surprise party this afternoon, you wouldn't have gotten angry enough to be akumatized."

"And maybe if you had told me that you no longer liked that kind of candy..." said Gina.

"You're right, I should have been honest," said Marinette. "I was trying to spare your feelings, but lying make everything worse. I'm sorry. I love you, Nona."

"I love you too, Marinetta."

Alya and the other friends crowded around.

"It's good to be back," said Alya. "And to have you back, Ladybug. Marinette, that is."

"I think I'd better give the earrings back to Master Fu," said Ladybug. "Too many people know my identity now. And I can't be a hero with one arm. Tikki, I'm sorry, but I have to renounce you."

In a shimmering wave Ladybug's costume disappeared. Marinette handed the earrings to Master Fu.

"Find a good new home for Tikki, all right?" Marinette asked.

"I have seen some good possibilities," said Master Fu, looking first at Alix and then at Alya.

The ambulance arrived to collect Marinette. Gina and Sabine were going with her.

As she was being loaded onto a stretcher, Chat Noir whispered something in Marinette's ear. Her eyes went wide and she smiled at him. He kissed her on the cheek.

Alya nodded to herself. "Thought so."

* * *

Alya was allowed to visit Marinette in the hospital. She brought back news to the class.

"It doesn't look good for Marinette's arm," Alya told the others. "They say it might have to be amputated."

"Oh no," said Rose.

"Poor Marinette," said Nathaniel. "She drew fashion designs right-handed."

"I have some bad news about Adrien," said Nino. "After he thought his plans were ruined for good when the Miraculous turned to coal, Hawk Moth wrote out a confession and took an overdose of sleeping pills. Hawk Moth was Gabriel Agreste, Adrien's dad."

"What? Why would a famous fashion designer become a super-villain?" asked Alya. "Was he insane?"

"The confession said he was trying to get a wish to bring back his wife, Adrien's mother."

"So Adrien is an orphan?" asked Juleka. "That's why he's not here today."

"Gabriel Agreste's assistant, Nathalie, found him in time," said Nino. "He was given emergency treatment and he's expected to recover fully, but he's under arrest for terrorism"

"Where will Adrien live now?" asked Alix.

"He's with a grandmother on his mother's side for now," said Nino. "But he told me he's applying to be emancipated and he'll come back to school here."

Chloé said from across the room, "Adrien will come back for me. He'll never be interested in that silly Marinette, especially with only one arm."

"I think you'll be surprised," said Alya. "A lot changed at that birthday party."

The End


End file.
